Fraudster Sentenced to 13+ Years in $1.9 Million Scheme

The mastermind behind a $1.9 million bank fraud was sentenced today to more than 13 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.

Nohmaan Malik, 30, pleaded guilty in November 2022 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman.  The Court ordered restitution in the amount of $1.9 million, the amount of loss the victims suffered.

According to plea papers, Mr. Malik admitted he and coconspirators defrauded Chase Bank customers.

They selected customers with sizeable balances at Chase and created counterfeit passport cards using the customers’ names and identifying information but with conspirators’ photographs. Using those counterfeit passport cards, conspirators imitating the bank customers opened fraudulent joint bank accounts with other conspirators acting as money mules.

The impersonator or the mule then transferred money from the customers’ actual account to the joint bank account, and then transferred the money from the joint account into a third bank account controlled solely by the conspirators.

His coconspirators include:

• Juan Cruz – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft / sentenced to 10 years and nine months in federal prison

• Ronald Godbold – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft /  sentenced to five years and five months in federal prison

• Jeremy Pena – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft / sentenced to five years and five months in federal prison

• Louie Walencik – charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, use of a false passport, and aggravated identity theft  / fugitive

• Gregory Jesus Acevedo – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and passport fraud and aggravated identity theft / sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison

• Christian Martinez – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud / slated to be sentenced on May 9 before Judge Reed O’Connor

The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Dallas Resident Office, conducted the investigation with the assistance from the DFW Airport Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Benbrook Police Department, and Flower Mound Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht prosecuted the case.